Senate Bill No. 151
(By Senators Edgell, Yoder, Bowman, Hunter and Kessler)
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[Introduced January 10, 2008; referred to the Committee on
Finance.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact §4-2A-2, §4-2A-4, §4-2A-6 and §4-2A-7
of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, all relating
to the compensation and expenses of legislators;
increasing
the basic compensation and expense reimbursement for members
of the Legislature; providing a schedule of payment for
compensation; increasing the additional compensation of
presiding officers, majority and minority leaders and
specified committee chairs, as well as certain other members
to be designated by the presiding officers
; increasing from
four to six the number of
other members that may be designated
by the presiding officers
to receive extra compensation and
corresponding reimbursement of expenses; removing certain
limits on the number of days for which extra compensation and
expenses may be paid; and removing the requirement that to be
compensated for additional days that the legislative business for which the member is to be compensated be performed in the
Capitol.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §4-2A-2, §4-2A-4, §4-2A-6 and §4-2A-7 of the Code of West
Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted, all to read
as follows:
ARTICLE 2A. COMPENSATION FOR AND EXPENSES OF MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATURE.
PART II. COMPENSATION.
§4-2A-2. Basic compensation for services; proration.
(a) Beginning in the calendar year two thousand eight and for
each calendar year after that, each member of the Legislature shall
receive as basic compensation for his or her services the sum of
fifteen twenty thousand dollars per calendar year, to be paid as
provided in subsection (b) of this section. In addition to the
basic compensation, members shall receive the additional
compensations as are expressly provided for in sections three, four
and five of this article. Except for the increased basic
compensation set forth in this subsection All other increased
amounts or new amounts in respect to the compensation or expenses
of members of the Legislature, set forth in the resolution of the
Citizens Legislative Compensation Commission, dated the eighth
ninth day of January, one two thousand nine hundred ninety-nine
seven, and implemented in sections two through eight of this article providing for new amounts or amounts increased to new
amounts greater than those in force and effect on the first day of
January, two thousand shall all six, become effective for calendar
year two thousand one eight and each calendar year thereafter as
prescribed in this section after that.
(b) The basic compensation shall be is payable twice a month
during each regular session of the Legislature, without regard to
any extension of the regular session. as follows:
(1) In two thousand eight:
(A) Fifteen thousand dollars total in the months of January,
February and March, payable twice a month; and
(B) Six hundred twenty-five dollars in each of April, May,
June, July, August, September, October and November, payable once
a month;
(2) Beginning in two thousand nine, in all years except those
described in subdivision (3) of this subsection:
(A) Five thousand dollars in each of January, February and
March, payable twice a month; and
(B) Six hundred twenty-five dollars in each of April, May,
June, July, August, September, October and November, payable once
a month;
(3) In the year two thousand ten, and every fourth year after
that:
(A) Five thousand dollars in each of February, March and April, payable twice a month; and
(B) Six hundred twenty-five dollars in each of January, May,
June, July, August, September, October and November, payable once
a month.
In the event of the death, resignation or removal of a member
of the Legislature during a regular session of the Legislature and
the appointment and qualification of his or her successor during
any regular session, the basic compensation provided for in this
section shall be prorated between the original member and his or
her successor on the basis of the number of days served (including
Saturdays and Sundays) as a member of the Legislature by each
during the regular session of sixty calendar days.
(c) In the event of the death, resignation or removal of a
member of the Legislature and the appointment and qualification of
his or her successor, subsequent to the regular session of the
Legislature held in the calendar year in which such successor was
appointed and qualified, none of the basic compensation provided
for in this section shall be paid to such successor the
compensation provided in this section for the month in which the
death, resignation or removal of the member of the Legislature
occurs shall be prorated between the original member and his or her
successor on the basis of the number of days served, including
Saturdays and Sundays in the month.
§4-2A-4. Additional compensation for President of Senate, Speaker of House of Delegates, majority leaders, minority
leaders, certain committee chairs and selected members
of both houses.
(a) In addition to the basic and additional compensation
provided for in sections two and three of this article, the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates
shall each receive additional compensation of:
(1) One hundred fifty dollars per day for each day actually
served during any regular, extension of regular or extraordinary
session as presiding officer, including Saturdays and Sundays; and
(2) One hundred fifty dollars per day up to a maximum of
eighty days per calendar year for attending to legislative business
in their offices in the capitol building when the Legislature is
not in regular, extension of regular or extraordinary session and
interim committees are not meeting.
(b) In addition to the basic and additional compensation
provided for in sections two and three of this article, the
majority leaders and minority leaders of the Senate and of the
House of Delegates shall each receive additional compensation of
twenty-five fifty dollars per day for each day actually served
during any regular, extension of regular or during extraordinary
session, including Saturdays and Sundays, as the selected
legislative leaders of their respective political parties.
(c) The presiding officer and majority and minority leader compensation shall be paid, from time to time, during any such
session or interim period, as the case may be, as may be prescribed
by rules established by the Legislative Auditor.
(d) In addition to the basic and additional compensation
provided for in sections two and three of this article, the
chairpersons of the committees on finance and committees on the
judiciary of the respective houses and up to four six additional
persons from each house, to be named by the presiding officer,
shall each receive an additional compensation of one hundred fifty
dollars per day up to a maximum of thirty days for attending to
legislative business in their offices in the capitol building when
the Legislature is not in regular, extended or extraordinary
session and interim committees are not meeting.
PART III. EXPENSES.
§4-2A-6. Travel expenses.
(a) Each member of the Legislature is entitled to be
reimbursed, upon submission of an expense voucher, for expenses
incurred incident to travel in the performance of his or her duties
as a member of the Legislature or any committee of the Legislature,
whether the committee is operating under general law or resolution,
including, but not limited to, attendance at party caucuses held in
advance of the date of the assembly of the Legislature in regular
session in odd-numbered years for the purpose of selecting
candidates for officers of the two houses, at a rate equal to that paid by the Travel Management Office of the Department of
Administration for the most direct usually traveled route, if
travel is by private automobile, or for actual transportation costs
for direct route travel, if travel is by public carrier, or for any
combination of those means of transportation actually used, plus
the cost of necessary taxi or limousine service, tolls and parking
fees in connection with the travel, but during any regular,
extension of regular or extraordinary session, travel expenses
shall not be paid to any member for more than one round trip to and
from the seat of government and to and from his or her place of
residence for each week of the session.
(b) In addition to the travel expense in subsection (a) of
this section, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Delegates are entitled to be reimbursed as provided in
subsection (a) of this section, upon submission of an expense
voucher, for expenses incurred incident to travel for up to a
maximum of eighty days per calendar year in connection with their
visits to the capitol building for business which is related to
their duties as presiding officers of the respective houses of the
Legislature, but which takes place when the Legislature is not in
regular, extension of regular or extraordinary session and interim
committees are not meeting.
(c) The rate paid for mileage pursuant to this section may
change from time to time in accordance with changes in the reimbursement rates established by the Travel Management Office of
the Department of Administration or its successor agency.
§4-2A-7. Reimbursement for expenses incurred during any session or
interim assignment.
(a) Each member of the Legislature who does not commute daily
shall receive the sum of one hundred fifteen thirty-one dollars per
day as per diem allowance in connection with any regular, extended,
extraordinary session, interim assignment or for any member
authorized by the presiding officer. Any member of the Legislature
who does commute daily shall receive the sum of fifty-five dollars
per day as the per diem allowance and, in addition to the
allowance, shall be reimbursed for overnight commuting expenses at
the mileage rate equal to the amount paid by the Travel Management
Office of the Department of Administration for the most direct
usually traveled route, if travel is by private automobile, or for
actual transportation costs for direct route travel, if travel is
by public carrier, or for any combination of the means of
transportation actually used, plus the costs of necessary taxi or
limousine service, tolls and parking fees in connection with the
travel: Provided, That the total of this per diem allowance plus
travel expense for a daily commuting member shall may not exceed
one hundred fifteen thirty-one dollars per day. The amount for
mileage paid pursuant to this subsection may change from time to
time in accordance with changes in the level of reimbursement by the Travel Management Office.
(b) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House
of Delegates, the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, the
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, the Chairman of the
House Committee on the Judiciary, the Chairman of the Senate
Committee on the Judiciary and up to four six additional persons
from each house designated by the presiding officer pursuant to
section four of this article shall be reimbursed for travel at the
rate established in subsection (a) of this section and shall
further receive the per diem allowance established in the
subsection in connection with their visits to the Capitol for
business which is related to their duties as officers at the times
when the Legislature is not in regular, extended or extraordinary
session and interim committees are not meeting.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for the increased
compensation and expense reimbursement for members of the
Legislature.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.